Many efforts have been made in the field of cosmetics to make them more natural as there has been, for some time now, a general trend by consumers to purchase products of any kind that are safer for the environment and for themselves. Consumers look for products that are in fact or are, at least, perceived to be natural. Typically, a product is deemed to be natural when it uses ingredients that are found and retrieved from nature with a minimal amount of processing or intervention by man to incorporate the ingredient into the product. As a result, the cosmetic industry has responded to this increased demand by using alternative natural ingredients to achieve desirable properties and features in cosmetic products. For example, waxes such as beeswax, carnauba, and polymers such as rosin are used in cosmetics.
Mascara is traditionally a challenging cosmetic product due to the features that consumers desire. Some of the features that consumers expect a mascara to have include the ability to thicken and lengthen lashes while still allowing the eyelashes to look natural, and therefore, consumers desire a mascara that will resist smudging and flaking. In addition to being smudge-proof, it is desirable for mascara to be water resistant and transfer resistant (i.e., resist unwanted removal while remaining easy to remove when desired). Further, as the mascara is applied to the eyelashes in close proximity to the sensitive eye and certainly in the sensitive eye area, the mascara should not cause allergic reactions. And, there is even a desire for the mascara to promote healthy eyelashes by making them softer and smoother, and promoting their growth. To achieve this, typically natural conditioners, such as for example, lanolin or bisabolol or synthetic conditioners, like glycols or vitamin E, are added to the mascara. The ideal mascara should beautify the eye by enhancing the appearance of the eyelashes around the eye.
However, because of the various properties that a mascara is expected to have, to date, the potential to make a mascara containing natural ingredients has not been fulfilled. Formulating mascara compositions to include natural ingredients presents a challenge because many of the desired features of the mascara are lost or are at a minimum compromised when these types of ingredients are used. For example, the mascara does not apply easily, or is sticky and tacky because of the tendency of natural ingredients to gel when formulated in a mascara. And, although, consumers desire the use of natural ingredients, consumers still expect the mascara to meet certain performance standards.
In EP 781544, incorporated herein by reference, a cosmetic is disclosed which contains a polyphenol derived from the fruit of Rosaceae and preferably from apples. The cosmetics have useful activities such as ultraviolet light absorbing activity and free radical eradicating activity. However, the polyphenol is separated from other beneficial fruit components and it is prepared in an alcoholic solution. This process, therefore, does not provide for use of the natural extract of the whole fruit dispersed in a silicone oil.
In GB 2321061, incorporated herein by reference, a shampoo and conditioner for the hair contains cupuacu pulp, juice or oil. However, it does not disclose a non-tacky mascara composition containing a plant extract dispersed in a silicone oil. Also disclosed, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,810, incorporated herein by reference, is a mascara composition containing a vegetable wax component of jasmine or rose wax. The vegetable wax component is not disclosed as contributing a fibrous content to the mascara. Thus, many of the fibers disclosed are synthetic and the natural fibers are not derived from the vegetable.
In addition, fruit pectins are known in the prior art to be gellants, as it is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,092, incorporated herein by reference. However, the ability to formulate a silicone based natural fruit or vegetable extract into a mascara that is not tacky, and is not hard to apply is not disclosed. Thus, it remains a challenge to formulate a mascara with a natural component derived from fruits or vegetables that is not tacky or sticky, and that adheres well to the lashes.
To incorporate natural plants into a cosmetic, extracts such as, for example, coffee extracts, flower extracts, berry and cherry extracts, barley extracts, oat extracts, pepper extracts are known to be used in cosmetic formulations. For example, JP 9155450 discloses hair dye compositions in which one of two agents, in the composition, is a plant extract and a silicone oil component contained in the agent. And a variety of face creams, massage creams, and lipsticks are disclosed, for example, in SU 1776407, SU 1782590, and SU 1486167 comprising various extracts and an additional silicone oil component. However, it is not disclosed to use a plant extract dispersed in a silicone oil, and further, its use in a mascara is not disclosed.
There continues to be a need to formulate natural cosmetic mascaras which achieve the desired functions associated with beautifying the eye. The present invention now provides a means by which a mascara user can use a mascara containing natural plant derived ingredients that is non-tacky and enhances and beautifies the eyelashes and the eyes.